CHURCHES OF GOD, a denomination of Baptist principles and Methodist organiza tion, founded by Elder John Winebrenner in Pennsylvania, in 1830. Winebrenner was a minister of the German Reformed Church and was active in revival movements and changed his views so as to be out of harmony with his Church, with which his relations were severed in 1828. Continuing his revival work, he or ganized the fruits in societies, called simply Church of God, which in 1830 were formed into a denomination at Harrisburg, with the same name. The Church of God has annual con ferences, called elderships, and a general con ference, called general eldership. Since 1860 the denominational name has been Churches of God in North America. The doctrinal position of the denomination is evangelical, with a leaning toward Arminianism, rather than Cal vinism. There is no written creed, the Bible being accepted as the only rule of faith and practice; biblical designations are used wherever possible, as in the denominational title. Three ordinances are recognized — baptism by im mersion, the Lord's Supper and foot-washing.
In each local church there are deacons and elders, who, with the pastor, constitute the •church council. Annual elderships, or confer ences, are composed of pastors and laymen, and the general eldership of ministers and laymen elected by the annual elderships. It meets once in four years. The Churches of God, includ
many of German origin or descent, are active in Sunday-school, missionary, educational and young peoples' work. According to de nominational statistics for 1916 there are up ward of 28,000 members, with 434 ministers and 484 churches. Since 1906 there has been a fall ing off in the number of churches and ministers and. an increase of about 4,000 members. The Church is strongest in the States of Pennsyl vania, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. It has a publishing house at Harrisburg, Pa., where its weekly organ, The Church Advocate, is issued. Consult Winebrenner's